The present invention relates to wiring for vehicle trim panels and more particularly to an improved method for thermally spraying electrical circuits on interior trim panels utilizing integrally molded projections for defining the thermally sprayed traces.
Vehicles typically include a number of interior trim panels mounted to different surfaces, including a door trim panel mounted to the interior surface of a door. Typically vehicle door assemblies includes spaced apart inner and outer panels defining a cavity for mounting a window, window regulator, speakers and other electrical devices. These devices are installed inside the door cavity through a plurality of access openings provided in the door trim panel. The door trim panel conceals the interior surface of the door and the access openings. The door trim panel is conventionally formed of a rigid panel, such as molded plastic or pressed hardboard, and covered with a flexible decorative trim material such as cloth, vinyl, leather and/or carpeting.
The door trim panel also often supports a number of electrical components such as lights, window controls, rear view mirror controls, seat adjustment controls, and speakers. Each of these electrical components requires an individual wiring connector and power supply lead wires. The power supply lead wires for all the electrical components are typically bound together to create a wire harness. The wire harness is fixed to the door trim panel or to the door to prevent damage to the wire harness and to reduce noise. The mounting and wiring of these electrical components is labor intensive and requires a number of connectors and other electrical parts.
The assignee of the present invention has developed a technique for overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art door trim panel electrical wiring. In the improved interior trim panel, electrical wiring is provided by spraying a fluent, conductive material onto the trim panel to form electrical traces. Preferably, the fluent material is a flame sprayed metal. Such techniques are disclosed in co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/053,395, entitled "Trim Panel With Integrally Formed Electrical Circuits" filed Apr. 1, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference. In this technique, a template having openings is applied to the interior surface of the trim panel. The electrical circuit is then deposited on the trim panel by flame spraying molten metal particles through the openings and onto the interior surface of the trim panel. The template is then removed from the trim panel. The electrical circuit is formed of the plurality of spaced apart traces, formed by the sprayed conductive material.